Page 87 of Hungry Hearts

“And you think I want to talk toyouabout this?” I wince and close the fridge, not finding or even seeing anything in there. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” She wraps me in a hug and rests her head on my chest. “You know I’m the least touchy-feely female here, but even I see how much you’re hurting. I get if you don’t want to open up to the guys. Man card ego bullshit and all, but you can talk to us.”

“You’re just going to report back to them anyway.”

“Well, yeah, but it’s different. They’ll be more sensitive about it.”

“Because you’ll withhold sex from them?”

“Exactly.” She squeezes my thigh and tilts her head back. “Go take a shower. We’re getting you drunk and are going to take advantage of you. Just wanted to be clear about our intentions.”

“I’ve had two girls at the same time but never three. You might have sold me on that.”

“Go. Now.” She steps out of my arms and shoves me toward the bathroom. “Before Nora has withdrawals and ditches us for Drake.”

I kiss the top of her head. “I’m a willing participant in the drinking and being taken advantage of. You three have my consent on whatever you want to do to my body.”

“Good. Because we were talking about tying you up,” Nora says from the living room.

I chuckle on my way to the bathroom. I’m glad she can joke about this now. The first time I met her, Drake had her blindfolded and tied up to torture a confession out of her. She’d been lying about her identity and her intentions for being in Drake’s life. Since she pretended to be her best friend, someone who was into bondage and foursomes, he let her think that’s what was going to happen.

Our sweet Nora wasnotinto it. Drake gave us a serious talk before we went into the room. Eyes only on the body part we were assigned to touch: ankle or shoulder. He didn’t touch her either. It didn’t take her long to cave and confess who she was, a journalist investigating her sister’s murder that happened outside our casino.

Long story short, she and Drake worked through their shit, kissed and made up, we caught the bad guy—thanks to Nolan and his connections, he’s rotting in Hell—and they lived happily ever after.

They went through some serious shit and it all worked out for them in the end. I couldn’t be happier for them, but Maia’s and my story is completely different. She cheated. After I’d warned her about fucker Flynn’s intentions.

The shower feels good after two days of sitting on the couch, and I wrap a towel around my waist and cross the hall to my room after I’ve finished.

“Looking good, Benton,” Nora says from her spot on the couch.

“Christ, woman.”

I get dressed and join my interrogators a few minutes later.

“Get me drunk and have your way with me.” I cross the room to the minibar.

“Not so fast, stud. We’re going out.” Avery grips my elbow and tugs me toward the door.

“There’s plenty of alcohol here.”

“You’ve been rotting away in here. Time for some new scenery.”

I let them lead the way. We exit through one of the side doors downstairs and walk down the block to the Tequila Bar. Away from the casino but close enough to stumble back and make it to the safety of the penthouse.

Also, there’s no chance Maia will show up here. It’s out of her neighborhood and not her scene. She prefers picnics, strolls through the park while eating ice cream, sunset drives through the country, or a romantic night in front of the fire.

Not that we’ve done any of that. We’ve eaten lunch and ice cream at a picnic table, played in the park with Rubes, and have had romantic nights in front of her fireplace, but it hasn’t been cold enough to light it.

Tuesday nights aren’t especially busy, especially at five o’clock, so we find an open seating area. Ella pushes my shoulders down, forcing me to sit in the middle of the trendy and uncomfortable couch.

The back isn’t high enough for me to tilt my head back and close my eyes. Instead, I have to sit straight up. Like we were at the penthouse, Nora maneuvers her way to my left, Avery plops to my right, and Ella takes the chic purple chair across from us.

A waitress comes by and Avery rattles off our order. Three flights of tequila, a charcuterie board, and water.

She gets all swoony and tells the girls about her and Nolan’s first date here. A story we’ve all heard a dozen times by now.

When our drinks arrive, she hands me a glass and I toss it back.

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